Vehicle-coupling.



G. L. BUMGARDNER. VEHICLE COUPLING. APPucA'noN man 1u1v1a. 1911. RENEWEDAPR. 12, 19111,.

2 SHEETS- SHEET 1.

atto: v1 mi, E

G. L. BUVn/IGARDNIER.

VEHICLE COUPUNG. APPLICATION man 11111113. 1911. asm-:WED APR. 12. 1918.

l 26@3?? Patented June 11 1918.

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enonen I.. BUMGARDNR, or GRIDLEY, KANSAS, Assreivon or cnn-HALF ro HARRYA.

` PATRIGE, or enrntnr,nnnsns. c

vVEHICLE-corrrLInG.

fracasar.

rammen .rune ii, reis.

Application led July 13, 1917, Serial No. 180,397. Renewed April 12,1918. SeralNo. 228,279.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnonen L. BUM- GARDNER, `acitizen of the UnitedStates, re-

siding at Gridley, in the county of Coifey,

State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inVehiclefCouplings; andI do hereby declare `the following to `be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as'will enableothers skilled .in the art to which it `appertains to malre and` use thesame.

This inventionis an improvement in. vehicle couplers and has particularreference to a bolster construction.

An object of the invention is to dispense with the usual king boltemployed in connection with constructions of this character and whichextend throu h the axle, sandboard, and bolster, there y weakening saidparts, and, tothis end, use is made of a plurality of bolster plates ofAimproved construction certain of which are carried by the sand-board,while the others are attached to the bolster and engaged with the irstmentioned plates in such manner as to permit ofthe swinging of thebolster when the` vvehicle is being turned.

Another object ofthe invention is to provide. acoupler of this characterwhich is simple in construction, easy to manufacture and effective incarrying out the purpose for which .it is designed.

The inventive idea involved is capable of receiving a variety ofmechanical expressions, one of which, for the purpose of illus# tratingthe invention, is shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figurel-isa top planview of the coulino' mechanism ofa Vehicleconstructed in P aaccordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof.

Fig. 3iis a longitudinal section' on the line 3-3 of Fig. l. c..

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectionon the line 4 4 of Fig. 1 takenlongitudinally through the bolster.

Fig.V 5 is aehorizontal section `on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the adjustable bolster plates.

Fig. 7 is a similar view of the coupler pole or reach member, and

Fig. 8 is a similar view of one of the clamping plates employed inconnection with the invention.

` of an enlarged central portion 15 provided with reduced extensions 16at each end having longitudinal flanges 17 which receive the axletherebetween. The `under side of the sand-board 11 also has a clampingplate i 18,`similar' in construction to the plates 14,

secured thereto by means of the bolt 19 which extends through the axle,the plates 14 and 18 and said sand-board, said bolts being surrounded byspacing sleeves 20 interposed `between the uppermost plate 14 and theplate 18.`

The bolster construction which comprises one of the esesntial featuresof the invention preferably consists of a stationary portion including abase member 21 preferably in the form of an oval plate also secured tothe sand-board by means of bolts 19. The base member is providedadjacent each end with superposed end plates 23 and 24 secured Theplates 23 and 24 are preferably cut away vor curved as indicated at 25and 26 respec tively and the curved edge of the plate 24 extendsinwardly toward the center of the base member 21 a greater distance thanthe curved portion of the plate 23 whereby to provide guide channels 27adjacent each end A of the base member for a purpose which willpresently appear. At oppositely disposed points f along the longitudinaledges of said base member21 and betweensaid end plates the base member`has secured thereto the guide lugs 28 by means of bolts 29 which extend.downwardly through the base member and through the enlarged or centralportions 15 of the clamping plates 14 and 18 and sur rounding the bolts29 in the space between `saidbase member and the clamping plates are thespacing sleeves 30.

'Ihe bolster 31 is mounted above the sand board 11 for swinging movementin a horizontal plane and to this end said bolster has preferablysecured to the under side thereof, by means of bolts 32, the superposedadjustable bolster plates 33 and 34, riveted together, the uppermostplate having lugs 35 engaging on either side of the bolster.` Thelowerrnost plate 33 is.` considerably nlarger than the plate 34 but ofsimilar construction, each of said plates consisting' of segmental.

saine horizontal plane with the plates 24 and the curved edges 2Gthereof are like-` wise disposed coneentrically tothe curved ends of thesegments 37 of said plate 341. The inner ends of the lugs 23 alsooverhang the central portion of the plate 33 and thus provide alguidethereforl. In this.1nanner the bolster 3l is mounted for horizontalswinginginovernent and through the inediuin of the constructiondescribed it Willfbeapparent that the use of the usual king bolt isdispensed'with.

The coupling pole or reach nieinber 380i t the vehicle is preferablyprovided with an attaching member 39 secured to the pole' by the boltel() and provided inthe body p'o'rtion thereof withA a curved. slot t1throi'igli which extendsthe rear bolt29. The :fneinv ber 39 is' alsoprovided with` an` opening 452 'for receiving a pivot 43 extendingbet-Ween the uppermost clamping plate la and the clamping plate 18between whichy said nient ber is disposed.` The member 39 is furtherprovided With shoulders lll` adapted to contact the spacing sleevesl 20surrounding the bolts 19. whereby to limit the swinging movement of thepole 38.

What is claimed is t l. In a coupler for vehicles, the coin'binationwith an axle and a. sandfboard; oi a bolster construction including astationary portion carried by said sand-board and having guidingchannels, relatively adjustable and superposed plates associated` Withsaid stationary portion and. having segmental end sections, the endsections of one plate projecting intoy said guide channels, and afbolster secured to the other plate. j

2. In a couplerfor vehicles, the combination with an axle and` asand-board; of a bolster construction including a stationary portioncarried` by said sandboard and having `guiding, channels, relativelyadjustable i and; superposed plates associated With` said Copies ofythispatentmay be` obtained` for stationary portion and having segmental endsections, the end sections of one plate projecting into said guidechannels'guide lugs carried by said stationary portion and formingguides for the central portion of the rst named adjustable plate, lugscarried by the second named adjustable late, and a bolster secured t0said plates and disposed between the last` naine-d? lugs:

3. In a coupler for vehicles, the combination with an axleandasand-b`oardg ot a Abolster construction including a stationary portioncaifried by said sand-board "and, han ing guidingchannels, relativelyadjustable and superposed plates associated. with said statioiiaryportion and having segmental end sections, the end` sections, olf oneplate projecting into said guide channels, guide` lugs carried: 'by saidstationary portlonand forming guides forthe central. portionA of ingguiding. channels, relatively adjustable and superposed platesassociatedvvith said stationary portion and having segmental' end sections, theend. sections of one plate projecting. intox said guide channels, guidevlugs carried by saidi stationary portion and forming guides. Jfor thecentral portion. of

the li-rst namedadjustable plate, a bolster secured; torsaid plates;apluralityfof clainp ing plates carried bysaidaai-le vand sand-Y boardand disposed beneath said stationary base portion", bolts arrangedoneach side of said` axle and. sands-board and connecting said. baseyportion and, said clanping plates,

and a coupler pole attachingv nieinber pivot#- ally disp osedbet-Ween.certain of said cla-nap-y ing plates, and/having a slot through whichone of: said bolts: extends.

In testimony WhereotI I'ny signature in the presence of two; Witnesses.j

GEORGEL. BUMGARDNER. Witnesses:

0. G. MEGHEM, J. S.- OLsoN.-

five cents each-,gbyafddressing the Commissioner: of. IntenteWashington, D. C.

